Loosening Up Bk. 10 Ch. 21-25

Dave ran through the songLoving More Than One with Ashley, getting used to reverb effect in the stadium, as well as the ear pieces that she recommended he wear so he could hear his own vocal tones more accurately. He didn't care for the hearing aids, but wasn't about to get rid of anything that might help him sing on key.

The entire group ate lightly at the nice restaurant in the hotel. They had their own dining room and a buffet style dinner. Dave noted a touch of Cajun spices in the meals, and appreciated the diversity the hotel had provided. He was so nervous he didn't eat much.

After dinner, Kyle, Marina, Ashley, and Dave went up to their suite on the top floor of the hotel. Kyle sat down to watch the news with Marina snuggled against him. Ashley started to layout her sparkling costume for the first half of the evening concert. She'd change into other duds she'd put in a clothing bag during intermission. Dave paced back and forth trying to burn off some nervous energy.

About six thirty, Robby Nixx, the band leader dropped off a large bag of clothing at the suite. Ashley looked very happy with what he'd procured.

Ash went up to Dave and said, "All right, strip. Keep your undies on."

Dave did as instructed down to his black briefs. Ashley handed him new blue jeans that had to have been washed five hundred times and beaten to smithereens against a brick wall with a baseball bat to take the newness out of them. He put those on along with a wide tan leather belt with a large silver buckle of a rodeo horse. The effect was kind of garish but truly country western.

There were western boots, and Dave was amazed at how well they fit and how comfortable they were. Ashley explained that they were snake skin - at least the outer surface was. They were sharp looking.

Dave got a western shirt next - red with white trim and a few tassels. The outfit was stereotypically 'cowboy' and made him feel a little hokey, especially with the bolo tie. Ashley assured him he looked fine and would fit in with what she'd be wearing on stage with him. "It's what the fans expect."

By the time they finished dressing Dave, the entourage took off for the arena a couple of blocks away. They snuck in the back door. Concert goers were already arriving to claim their seats through the main doors.

The 'green room' for the arena was tastefully decorated in beiges and had a large television with a DVD player attached. On several of the channels people in the green room could look at the arena from various viewpoints. They briefly watched as the seats in various sections started to fill, and then switched over to the movieTop Gunthat was playing on one of the cable channels. The movie was a good distraction for Dave. He loved all the flying scenes.

Their Concert Master arrived in the green room about seven-fifteen - fifteen minutes before the start. He was a cheerful man with salt and pepper hair, a crisp blazer, and walkie-talkie that made him super-official. He said a few words about attendance, verifying that the arena had sold out. He mentioned security and a few other items, and then led the group through a labyrinth of halls until they were at a door just behind and to one side of the stage. He explained the path to the stage to Ashley and Dave, and then left them to police the VIP area.

In the meanwhile, the band had moved into place and had spent a moment verifying the tuning of their instruments. At seven-thirty on the dot, a stentorian voice came over the arena's speakers replacing and overriding all other sound: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ASHLEY STEERMAN!"

A thunderous ovation sounded to the point Dave wonder whether the arena would collapse. People cheered, shouted, applauded, yelled, and stomped and expressed their pleasure that Ashley was there. Everyone was standing up.

Ashley gave Kyle and Dave each a kiss, and then bounced up the rear stairs onto the stage and then directly out to her performance area at the front of the stage.

"HI BIRMINGHAM!" More cheers as she waved with both arms. The band segued into the opening strains ofBurning Angel, a cheer of recognition came from the crowd, and Ashley was off and running.

Forty-five minutes later, she announced she was doing one more song and then taking a break. She promised to be back onstage at eight-forty for the second half. She launched into the last song for that part of the show, finished, gave a wave, and ran back stage and into the hallway where the others had stood and watched from behind her. Everyone went back to the green room, including the band.

Without an ounce of modesty, Ashley stripped her clothes away down to her thong and no bra. Everyone kind of glanced at her but she was flying around doing her costume change, so the hot body and some bare tits weren't exactly erotic at that time. She was all business. Marina helped Ash dress in another cowgirl outfit of a different color - this one shades of blue with lots of studs and diamonds. Her new boots matched the skirt and blouse, too. The outfit contrasted perfectly with Dave's new duds.

Kyle checked over Dave's outfit, did the fly check, and declared him fit to appear in front of eighteen-thousand people. Ashley coached Dave to run some scales with his voice so he was limbered up and ready to sing. He sang like a robot until Ashley came over and stood in front of him. She pulled up the shirt she'd just put on, and said, "Suck on my tits."

Dave bent over somewhat robotically and did just as she said. After two minutes, she said, "NOW, sing your scales and stop sounding like this is worst thing to ever happen to you. This is your big coming out party! Stop thinking about yourself and think about the people you are here to entertain."

Dave went back to singing and he did sound better. Even the band applauded him as they laughed; they all knew the pressure a newbie must be feeling right then. They were all used to it but had been where he was. Further, all the men wished they'd had the opportunity to suckle Ashley's gorgeous tits.

The Event Manager appeared again and led them to behind the stage. The band continued to the stage, took their positions, checked everything and then signaled they were ready. Ashley hopped up the stairs, and went out to the front of the stage waving to everyone.

"Hi Birmingham. I'm back, and I brought a friend with me who I hope you'll welcome with a big round of applause." [Applause] "This is his first time singing outside his shower, so be nice. He's going to join me for three songs tonight, but we're sure you'll see a lot more of him in the future. I hope you like him - DAVE PRENTISS!" She twirled around and held her arms out.

As she did, Dave hopped up on the stage and came out waving, acting cool as a cucumber. He bowed to their applause, and held his hands to his heart in gesture to show how humbled he was by their welcome. The band struck up the opening refrain ofTexas Dawn. As they did, the crowd went wild with recognition and applause. This was Ashley's first big hit - one of the many she'd had since she started.

Dave took the microphone in his steady hands and sang the opening verse - 'Texas Dawn comes early when you've been awake all night.' Ashley joined in, and smooth as silk the pair delivered all six minutes-forty seconds of the duet flawlessly, even getting their romantic looks at each other perfect. Dave noted the close-up shots the TV cameras captured in the arena projected up on two immense screens beside the stage and at both ends of the arena.

The applause and cheers brought tears to Dave's eyes. He'd conquered his great fear. He'd sung in public and hadn't made an ass of himself - yet.

Dave and Ashley hugged, briefly kissed, and bowed together. Ashley then took her microphone and said, "We all know that Jackson isn't too far from here. We hope you like the next number."

The band started and Dave shifted into his low 'Johnny Cash' bass register and started the song: 'We got married in a fever'. He continued and traded off here and there with Ashley. They were laughing, too. Soon, she gestured and many in the audience started to join in the song. The band members sang along, too. The song was a big hit with the fans.

At the end of the song, Ashley and Dave took their bows, and then Ashley raised her microphone to introduce the next number. She started, looked at Dave, glanced backstage at Kyle who nodded at her, and then spoke to the eighteen-thousand fans.

"Thank you. Many of you know I live a unique kind of life with a group in Florida called the Circle. They even appear on a weekly cable television show that some of you may have seen. Kyle, my husband, also belongs to the Circle, and so does Dave, here. We love each other very much - they are my two favorite men in the world.

"My husband is older and raised his kids with his wife before they separated. He was unable to have more children when I wanted to have some, so at our request Dave stepped in and fathered my first child. Dave is also the father of my second child that will be born next March." She patted her tummy. "Kyle and I are ecstatic at the birth and pregnancy, and we remain a very happy couple as well as members of the Circle.

"With that background, I wrote the song Dave and I are about to sing for you now:Loving More Than One. I hope you like it, and now, for the first time, everyone knows the background to the lyrics."

The band immediately segued into the opening refrain, and this time Ashley sang the opening line to the song. Dave came up beside her and put his arm around her, as he joined in. Near the end of the song, Kyle came up the back steps and stood with the two of them on Ashley's other side. As the song ended, they both kissed Ashley's cheeks and then she kissed each of them on the lips.

Dave waved and bowed to the crowd, and then he and Kyle left the stage. The band immediately picked up the tempo for the Carrie Underwood songCasanova Cowboy. The crowd seemed stunned, and the applause for the duet carried into the start of Ashley's next number.

As Dave and Kyle got to the doorway where they could watch the rest of the show, Dave said in a frantic tone to Kyle, "Did you know she was going to do that?"

He nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Sooner or later, somebody would spill the beans or someone would notice that Kendall and-or the next baby look like you. We'd kicked the idea around, and decided today was as good an occasion as any. I hope you didn't mind? It wasn't a last-minute decision but we weren't sure which concert to do it at until we talked at intermission."

"I'm just shocked, that's all. I'd been going out of my way to keep a lid on the situation."

Kyle laughed, "Well, I guess we blew that apart. It'll be fun to see how the shit hits the fan, won't it."

"You're not afraid she'll be hurt?"

"In this business, there's no such thing as bad publicity. In those few sentences, she just guaranteed sold-out venues for the next five years, at least, and at premium prices - for you, too. She'll be a very hot commodity, not that she wasn't before. She's hotter now. As we get you launched, you'll be just as hot."

Dave shook his head in disbelief.

The media took Sunday, the day after the concert, to digest the news. Ashley's announcement had been pretty late in the evening on Saturday night. On Monday, the headlines screamed about the sin that Ashley had announced; things like:

Ashley Pregnant by Lover

Ashley's Husband: "Not My Baby!"

Ashley Sinned!

Ashley Seduced and Pregnant

Country Music Sweetheart Has Lover

Infidelity! Babies Out of Wedlock

Daddy's not my Father

Ashley Stuns Fans Announcing Lover

Ashley was so well known there was no need to inject a last name into any of the headlines - they were designed to capture readers attention and sell newspapers or magazines or subscriptions. She was like other stars who had achieved a one-name identity: Shakira, Sting, Bono, Madonna, Cher, Enya, Eminem, Pink, Moby, Jewel, or Adele, to name a few. The difference was that Ashely admitted to living in what had become a well-known polyamorous community, AND she'd had a baby by a lover from that group, and had done it again so she was expecting her second child by him, all while being married to another man.

The Monday morning talk shows 'reflected' on Ashley's announced news, trying to treat her with some respect since she made the admission, but also mentioning the uncertainty about what her future would be like. By noon, if you hadn't heard of Ashley Steerman before, you had. She was the talk of the town - every town, every city, everywhere in North America, on every kind of media. Europe and Asia would be talking about her the next day as news from the Birmingham concert spread.

Somehow, the tape of her comments at the concert made it to YouTube, and hence the media. Her 'between-songs' comments about the Circle and Dave were played and replayed and went viral. Of course, there were many unanswered questions that arose. A few raised on the morning talk shows included:

• Why did Ashley's husband turn her over to another man to get pregnant?

• Is that all that happened or was their affair a continuing event?

• Is Ashely and Dave's affair over? When did it start and how? Might it end?

• The song,Loving More Than One, hints that you love many men? Do you?

• The Circle avows polyamory - just how much did or does Ashley participate?

• Is Ashley involved with ALL the men in the Circle?

• Does she do women? Is she bisexual? Her song implies this.

• Dave is known to have ten 'wives' (OMG!); is Ashley to become one of them?

• What do Dave's wives think about his infidelity?

• Does her lover have children by other women? Who, what, why, where, when, how?

Dave called his home early Monday afternoon after digesting a couple of morning shows and reading the various reports on the Internet. He got Cricket because she was working at the house on a book and the weather was scrummy outside. He asked what people were thinking?

Cricket said, "I haven't heard everybody comment, but there is uniform concern about Ashley's career and reputation. We all love her and don't want her hurt."

He asked, "Were people concerned about the Circle?"

Cricket laughed, "No. That ship has already sailed, what with the book and TV show. We know it'll call attention to us and the show a little bit more, but no one was concerned. All the concern is for Ashley. A few applaud her audacity at outing herself. A few more are confused about why she let the cat out of the bag, and the rest are just concerned for her."

Dave passed the phone to Ashley and she responded about the reasons she announced her polyamorous relationships, declared Dave her lover, and talked about how he was the father of her young baby and the embryo gestating inside her. Cricket and she had a good discussion.

After hanging up, Kyle called in on Ashley's cellphone a few minutes later. She put him on speaker phone so Dave could hear. He was happy. "Babe, I have requests from just about every magazine and newspaper in the country for an interview. I thought we should talk before I start to respond to them. My recommendation is to talk toPeople magazine and thenUs. For an international hit, I recommendHello, in the U.K."

Ashley laughed, "Make it happen. What about Dave? He should be interviewed too - and you!"

"If the three of us are around, that'll work.People has reporters in Nashville; I bet you'll see them before the end of the afternoon. Are you two out of bed or have you been making love all day?"

Ashley tried to sound incensed, "We're up and dressed, although when Kendall goes down for her nap, I was thinking of getting in bed with my lover for a little nap." She giggled.

"I'll text you the results of my call backs," Kyle said.

Two hours later, naked, sticky, and delightfully in love with each other, Ashley's phone buzzed: 'People Mag. Exclusive for four days. 4:00 p.m. today at house. Let it all hang out. I might make it in time to see them, but proceed any way. Love. Kyle.'

Lisa Barrett and Joe Stone arrived at the house exactly at four o'clock. Dave met them at the door and escorted them into the luxurious living room. After an offer, they politely accepted some soft drinks as Dave got himself one. Ashley joined them with Kendall in her arms.

After introductions, Ashley added, "And this is Kendall; the baby that Dave and I made. He's the father, and Kyle, my husband, is the daddy. If you watched what I said at the concert you know that, and also that Dave is the father of the baby I'm carrying right now - due in March, and I don't know the sex. The ultrasound was indeterminant, but I was told by the next one at my next checkup we'd know."

Lisa took the lead. "Thank you for getting the ball rolling. You implied that Kyle wanted Dave to make you pregnant. Why was that?"

Ashley explained about the vasectomy and how the reverse or vaso-vasectomy was given only a small chance of success. Instead of messing around, Kyle had recommended that the second favorite man in her life do the deed.

"And he wasn't mad or anything?"

"Oh, no. He was quite enthusiastic about having Kendall. It was Kyle's idea. She took over three months to conceive. It was fun." She giggled and they all laughed.

"Did you and Dave Prentiss have an existing relationship when you decided to do this?"

"Oh, yes. We've been lovers since I turned eighteen. My sister also has his baby, but before that they had a relationship that I horned in on after I was able to get to where they lived in Florida to go to university. I lived with Erin, my sister. Our mother also has a loving relationship with him. We're all neighbors, too, down in Sarasota in the Circle. I assume you've seen the TV show."

"So, you and Dave still have a ... romantic relationship?"

"I never see it ending." She smiled and held Dave's hand. He smiled at the reporters.

"And your husband doesn't mind?"

"No. He encourages it, and I encourage the relationships he has. I'm friends with all of them, and they're beautiful people - inside and out."

"So, he's unfaithful, too."

Ashley shook her head. "No. No one is unfaithful here. There are no vows being broken or sins being committed. I believe, as do many of my friends, that I can love more than one person - many more. While there is a primacy of my love for my husband, that's no reason for me to not love other people - men and women. We are open about what we do and have the same views. There is no jealousy. Listen to the words of my songLoving More Than One."

Joe asked, "So, you love other men besides your husband and Dave?"

"Yes, other men and women. If you're really asking whether I also have sex with them, the answer is yes. The sex makes and completes our loving relationships in a most wonderful way. I love sex and all the magnificent variations we create together."

"You don't think that will damage your marriage?"

"No, why would it?" Ashley's question was genuine curiosity.

Joe balked, "Errr, I guess given what you've said so far, it wouldn't."

"Make sure you stress that point in your article. We all love each other."

Lisa stepped in, "So, you also have sex with other women?"

Ashley smiled, "It doubles my chance for a date on a Friday night." She giggled. "Yes, of course. I love them, why wouldn't I do what I could to please them in every way possible, provided they felt welcome to it. Am I bisexual? I guess I am, but I don't feel that way about any woman, only the ones I am in love with - those in the Circle. The Circle has the philosophy 'consenting adults can do what they want about sex'. We abide by that rule."